Smoking pipe trap and filter chamber



Dem 1965 A. D. STRAHM SMOKING PIPE TRAP AND FILTER CHAMBER Filed July 2, 1962 A/ M/sz/ FIG l ALLEN D. STRAHM ATTOBNEYS United States Patent Ofifice 3,221,752 Patented Dec. 7, 1965 3,221,752 SMOKING PIPE TRAP AND FILTER CHAMBER Allen D. Strahm, 3020 S. Madison, Tulsa, Okla. Filed July 2, 1962, Ser. No. 206,887 4 Claims. (Cl. 131-184) This invention relates generally to a smoking pipe, and more specifically to an improved trap and filter chamber for a smoking pipe.

It is a primary object of this invention to provide an improved, readily accessible, smoking pipe trap and filter chamber in which is located a replaceable filter for the removal of nicotine, condensate and other deleterious residuum from the smoke stream prior to reaching the mouth of the smoker.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved smoking pipe trap including means for preventing the undesired clogging of the smoke stream passage in the bottom of the smoking pipe bowl and means for cleaning this passage of any accumulated material therein.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and appended claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

FIGURE 1 is an exploded partial sectional view of the bowl and stem portions of a smoking pipe embodying this invention.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional assembled view of a smoking pipe embodying this invention.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of the pipe bowl of FIG- URE 1 taken along lines 3-3.

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the smoking pipe of FIGURE 1 taken along lines 44.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of this invention.

Referring now to the various figures there is shown a smoking pipe designated generally as 1 and specifically composed of a bowl 2, a tobacco chamber 3 centrally located in the top portion of bowl 2, a base section 4, a stem 5, and a mouthpiece 6.

The lower portion of bowl 2 is provided with a depending, centrally located, shank of substantially reduced diameter, terminating upwardly in shoulder 14. Bore 12 extends vertically and coaxially through shank 10 and the lower portion of bowl 2. A metallic insert member 18 includes an upper tubular shank portion 20 and a lower portion 22 having threads 24 around the outer periphery thereof. The tubular shank portion 20 of insert 18 is frictionally retained within bore 12 with the threaded skirt shaped outer periphery of the insert received about shank 10. The bottom horizontal surface 26 of insert member 18 is provided with a downwardly extending annular bafile 28.

Central passageway 30 extends vertically through the insert 18 from tobacco chamber 3 to the horizontal surface 26. A substantially U-shaped, outwardly springbiased key member 32 is frictionally and rotatably retained within passageway 30 with the slightly enlarged bight portion 34 extending downwardly from the horizontal surface 26. In one embodiment, a key, as later described, extends upwardly within the chamber 3 to prevent compaction of tobacco tending to plug the passageway 30. In addition, the key also serves as a means for cleaning tars and other collected matter from within the passageway. A simple twisting motion applied to the bight portion will scrape the collected matter from the wall of the passage 30.

Referring now to FIGURE 5, there is shown an alternate type of key member which is substantially U-shaped,

having an enlarged bight portion 34' and two vertically extending parallel legs 16. This key member can be stamped or otherwise produced from substantially flat metallic blank stock. Therefore, the outside corner edges of the legs 16 will function as relatively sharp cutting edges for efiiciently cutting accumulated solids from the surface of the passage 30. The legs 16 are sprung slightly outwardly to furnish an outwardly directed force against the surface of passage 30 when the key is positioned therein.

Base section 4 includes a vertical bore 36 within which metallic insert cup 37 is frictionally fitted. The cup includes internal threads 38 in the upper portion for match ing engagement with the external threads 24 of the insert member 18. An upstanding annular bafile 39 is centrally located on the lower surface 40 of the insert cup. Orifice 42 is provided in portion 37 for the passage of smoke from .the chamber 44 into longitudinal smoke passage 7 of stem 5 and mouthpiece 6.

Disc-type filter and absorbent element 50 is composed of a mat of random fibers, such as wood, mineral or synthetics, which provide sufficient porosity and permeability to serve as a filter element and as an absorber for smoke condensates.

In one example, a plurality of horizontally laminated sheets of pervious and absorbent materials such as tissue sold under the trademark of Kleenex is used as the filter element 50. A small amount of glue or similar adhesive material may be injected into a vertical perforation of the filter element in order to retain the individual sheets of absorbent material together. It should be clearly understood that this adhesive must be a material that does not adversely affect the taste and enjoyment of the smoking pipe.

One method of producing these filter elements includes punching several elements from a single large pad of material. In this method a central hypodermic-type needle may be incorporated within the punch for simultaneously injecting the glue into the filter elements as they are punched from the large filter pad. It is not intended, however, that the scope of this invention should be limited to this method as other methods not herein described may be applied with equal utility to this invention.

Particular reference is made to FIGURE 2 in which a pipe embodying this invention is assembled in its operating position. Filter element 50 is placed within the member 37 where it rests upon baffie 39. Insert member 18 of bowl 2 is threadably connected to insert member 37 of base section 4. When these two inserts are threaded together, baffle 28 contacts the upper surface of filter element 50. This effectively divides the filter chamber into an upper center section between bafile 28, horizontal surface 26 and the top surface of filter element 50, and a lower annular section between bafiles 28 and 39, the inner periphery of insert 37, and filter element 50. The lower annular section communicates with smoke passage 7. The bight portion 34 of spring element 32 contacts the center area of the filter element, depressing it slightly and retaining it in its properly oriented position within pipe trap chamber 44.

In operation it has been found that when'the smoker draws upon the mouthpiece of the pipe a vacuum is created in the annular space between the upper and lower baffles 28 and 39, respectively, and the inner periphery of metallic member 37 resulting in radial flow of smoke through the filter element 50. As the smoke flows into the trap chamber 44 through bore 30 it carries with it tars, moisture and the like. As the smoke then passes downwardly into and laterally through the filter 50- the tars are retained on the filter material and the moisture condenses on, in and around the filter element. This condensed moisture tends to swell the filter element 50. This swelling tends to cause the filter to substantially fill the chamber 44. Hence condensates normally tending to collect in the chamber are absorbed by capillary attraction. The swelling, however, is contained and pre vented from clogging the passages 30 or 42 as the filter becomes moisture laden.

When it becomes desirable to remove the filter element, the bowl 2 and attached member 18 are unscrewed from member 37. The filter element 50 is removed from trap chamber 44. In some instances, as the bowl 2 is removed, a slight twisting movement is imparted to the filter element 50 which tends to wipe any unabsorbed condensate from trap chamber 44.

If desired, after the bowl 2 has been separated from member 37 the spring member 32 may be given a twisting motion to clean the interior of bore 30.

When the pipe is thus disassembled, its various components including threaded member 18 and member 34 are conveniently available to any cleaning process found desirable to the smoker.

This invention has been described by reference to specific and preferred embodiments. It will be apparent, however, that many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, this invention should be construed not to be limited to the embodiment herein described but should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A smoking pipe comprised of,

a bowl including an external peripheral threaded portion at the bottom thereof and a downwardly extending annular bafiie;

a base section including a stem and a mouthpiece,

provided with an internally threaded portion to receive therein said threaded portion of said bowl to form a trap and filter chamber, said base provided with an upwardly extending annular bafiie of diameter smaller than said downward bafile;

a removable filter element of diameter slightly larger than said downward baflle extending substantially horizontally in said chamber between and transversely touching said downward and said upward bafiies;

an inlet smoke passage from said bowl into said chamber;

and an outlet smoke passage from said chamber into said stem and mouthpiece.

2. A smoking pipe according to claim 1 wherein means are disposed in said inlet smoke passage for preventing clogging of said passage and for removing therefrom undesired solids that tend to accumulate therein, said means consisting of a cotter-type spring element having two parallel legs which extend slightly into said bowl and the bight portion of which extends into said trap and filter chamber, touching said filter element contained therein.

3. A smoking pipe consisting of the combination of,

a bowl having a tobacco chamber therein;

a base section including a stem portion, said stem portion provided with a lateral smoke passage;

a mouthpiece attached to said stern, said mouthpiece provided with a smoke passage in communication with said smoke passage in said stern;

a first insert attachable to the bottom of said bowl, said first insert being substantially disc-shaped and provided with a centrally located shank extending upwardly through the bottom of said bowl; said shank and insert having a bore extending centrally therethrough and communicating with said tobacco chamber; a downwardly extending annular bafile coaxial to said bore; and threads on the outer periphery of said insert;

a second insert attachable to the top of said base section, said second insert being substantially cupshaped and provided with an internally threaded portion to threadably receive said first insert to form a trap and filter chamber between said first and said second inserts; an upwardly extending annular bafiie coaxial with but of smaller diameter than said baflie on said first insert; and a passageway extending radially outward through said second insert in communication with said smoke passage in said stem portion;

means disposed in said bore through said first insert and said shank to prevent clogging of said bore with solids that tend to accumulate therein;

and a filter element disposed within said filter chamber,

between and touching said baffles.

4. A smoking pipe according to claim 3 wherein said means disposed in said bore comprises a substantially U-shaped spring element having two parallel legs which extend upwardly within said bore slightly into said tobacco chamber and the bight portion of which is enlarged to limit the upward movement of said element in said bore, said bight portion extending slightly into said filter chamber into contact with said filter element contained therein.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 288,382 11/1883 Trielotf l3l207 617,036 1/1899 Mitchell 131207 XR 2,192,781 3/1940 Toro 131-214 2,419,509 4/1947 Turner 131-205 2,862,506 12/1958 Doumitt 131-184 FOREIGN PATENTS 12,934 1898 Great Britain. 406,401 3/1934 Great Britain. 763,652 12/1956 Great Britain.

ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH S. REICH, SAMUEL KOREN, Examiners. 

1. A SMOKING PIPE COMPRISED OF, A BOWL INCLUDING AN EXTERNAL PERIPHERAL THREADED PORTION AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF AND A DOWNWARDLY EXTENDING ANNULAR BAFFLE; A BASE SECTION INCLUDING A STEM AND A MOUTHPIECE, PROVIDED WITH AN INTERNALLY THREADED PORTION TO RECEIVE THEREIN SAID THREADED PORTION OF SAID BOWL TO FORM A TRAP AND FILTER CHAMBER, SAID BASE PROVIDED WITH AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING ANNULAR BAFFLE OF DIAMETER SMALLER THAN SAID DOWNWARD BAFFLE; A REMOVABLE FILTER ELEMENT OF DIAMETER SLIGHTLY LARGER THAN SAID DOWNWARD BAFFLE EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY HORIZONTALLY IN SAID CHAMBER BETWEEN AND TRANSVERSELY TOUCHING SAID DOWNWARD AND SAID UPWARD BAFFLES; AN INLET SMOKE PASSAGE FROM SAID BOWL INTO SAID CHAMBER; AND AN OUTLET SMOKE PASSAGE FROM SAID CHAMBER INTO SAID STEM AND MOUTHPIECE. 